Instant messaging (IM) has become a ubiquitous presence in home, work, and government settings. Although IM applications have existed since the early 1970's, the wider acceptance of IM occurred in the 1990's as Internet service providers began packaging these tools as a part of their service. As the popularity of IM grew, many online networks and websites began to add IM, without charge, as a feature to develop a larger customer base. The ability to have real time communications via the same vehicle used for work and entertainment activities, led to IM applications being accepted as preferred means of communication.
Initially a text based method of communication which allowed users to exchange messages in real time via a chat window, IM has expanded in form. Presently, IM applications allow the exchange of Web site universal resource locators (URLs), data file sharing, photograph and video file sharing, as well as real time voice and video (e.g. Web-cam) sessions. The immediacy of IM, the ability to save a log of text exchanges during the IM session, and the status of IM as a free medium, have led to IM being as commonplace as the telephone, electronic mail, teleconferencing, and videoconferencing.
The expansion of IM use as a communications medium and the increased number of real time applications available under the IM format or family, have led to IM applications consuming larger quantities of bandwidth and computing resources.